Chronologies
China - Taiwan
Chronology from May 2020 to Aug 2020
: Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praise Tsai’s announcement on US pork and beef.
: Tsai announces Taiwan will allow the import of US pork and beef next year.
: AIT posts on its Facebook page photos of US Air Force tanker planes refueling Taiwan F-16s during exercises at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.
: Tsai says, in response to a question during a virtual talk to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, that she is concerned about the possibility that a military accident involving China might lead to international conflict.
: Chinese combat aircraft enters Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) as President Tsai flies to Taipei from Kinmen.
: Taiwan opens its representative office in Somaliland.
: Taiwan’s former Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai of the Democratic Progressive Party wins the by-election to replace Han Kuo-yu as mayor of Kaohsiung.
: Taiwan’s Ministry of Education announces, at the direction of the MAC, that Mainland Chinese students will not be allowed to return to Taiwan universities with other foreign students. The MAC says it is acting in response to China blocking students returning to Taiwan.
: Former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui dies. He is mourned as a hero of Taiwan’s democracy.
: Newly arrived TECRO Representative Bi-khim Hsiao pays introductory call on Assistant Secretary of State Stilwell in his State Department offices, and TECRO posts a photo of their meeting.
: US Democratic Party platform endorses Taiwan Relations Act, which supports “a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people of Taiwan.”
: Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je defends his “pragmatic” approach to relations with China, saying that “family harmony is better than family hostility” during an annual forum between the cities of Taipei and Shanghai.
: Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan launches new cross-party USA Caucus with Director of AIT Taipei Brent Christensen and new TECRO Representative to Washington Bi-khim Hsiao in attendance.
: Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense says that the Air Force did not have authorization to commit to the PAC-3 recertification announced by the US State Department.
: Departing TECRO Representative to the United States Stanley Kao pays farewell call on State Department Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell. Breaking precedent they meet in Stilwell’s State Department Offices, and TECRO posts a photo of their meeting.
: Taiwan MAC complains that Hong Kong is imposing political conditions for employees of the Taiwan representative office to renew their visas, reportedly including acceptance of “one country, two systems.”
: China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman announces China will sanction Lockheed Martin over its support for Patriot recertification for Taiwan.
: US State Department approves a request from Taiwan to recertify its Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles for an estimated cost of $620 million.
: Hong Kong announces implementation rules for article 43 of the National Security Law, threatening criminal sanctions against Taiwan organizations.
: Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) opens Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchanges Office to assist those fleeing Hong Kong.
: Taiwan allows the first business travelers from designated COVID-19 safe areas, including Hong Kong and Macao, to enter Taiwan.
: Taiwan’s first indigenous advanced jet trainer, the “Brave Eagle,” has its inaugural test flight.
: KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang Chi-chen introduces a draft proposal to reform the KMT, calling the 1992 Consensus a “historical description” no longer useful in pursuing cross-Strait interaction.
: Nationalist (KMT) Party Mayor of Kaohsiung, Han Kuo-yu, loses recall vote. Of the 42% of the electorate voting, 97% approved his removal.
: Li Zhanshu, third-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo, gives the keynote address to a forum celebrating the 15th anniversary of China’s Anti-Secession Law, warning that China will take “necessary actions” if Taiwan moves toward independence.
: Chinese Premier Li holds traditional press conference at the end of the NPC. When asked about Taiwan reunification he says that it should be peaceful and based on the 1992 Consensus.
: Tsai posts on her Facebook page her promise that Taiwan will take “necessary emergency measures” to help those fleeing Hong Kong.
: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers the government Work Report to the National People’s Congress. It included the standard commitment to work toward Taiwan’s reunification, though without including the standard language that reunification would be “peaceful” and on the basis of the “1992 Consensus.
: US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notifies Congress of the proposed sale of 18 MK-48 Mod6 Advanced Technology (AT) Heavy Weight Torpedoes (HWT) and related equipment to Taiwan.
: China’s Taiwan Affairs Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs separately issue statements criticizing Tsai’s inaugural address as fomenting “Taiwan independence.”
: President Tsai Ing-wen is inaugurated for her second term as the president of the Republic of China. Her inaugural address calls for cross-Strait relations to be conducted on the basis of “peace, parity, democracy, and dialogue.”
: Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu announces Taiwan will not pursue its effort to participate in the World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization.
: China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) announces 11 new measures to assist Taiwan businesses in China in recovering from the effects of Covid-19 shutdowns.